The method of electrophoretic analysis of biological preparations in gels is one of the main areas of biochemical, medical and selection studies.
The widespread application of the method is due not only to its high resolution, simplicity and low cost of necessary equipment, but also to the possibility of effecting parallel analysis of a large number (several scores) of biological preparations. This imposes more stringent requirements on apparatus for photometrically scanning gels, in particular, on the productivity, cost, compactness and possibility of ensuring high measurement accuracy.
In addition, the trend to improve the method of electrophoretic analysis of biological preparations in gels with the aim of increasing the gel length has recently become obvious as this would enable the achievement of maximum efficiency of the analysis--maximum separation of preparations of complicated composition. The development of apparatus for photometrically scanning such gels which are up to 40-50 cm long requires the application of radically new technical concepts because conventional apparatus used for such purpose would be unwieldy (up to 100-120 cm long) which is due, among other things, to considerable difficulties in providing for uniform translational motion of gels during scanning thus resulting in a more complicated design and higher cost.